Win 7 Windows Update 80246002 Unable to run updates

...which takes you to the Microsoft-sponsored Answer Desk and a third-party support tech.

That being said...

1. Are you still getting 80246002 errors?
2. When (exact date, preferably) did you replace MSE with Avast (Free, I assume)?
3. What anti-virus application was installed before you installed MSE, was your subscription still current, and did you uninstall it before you installed MSE?
4. Has a(nother) Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?
5. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [PICK ONE] come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

...which takes you to the Microsoft-sponsored Answer Desk and a third-party support tech.

That being said...

1. Are you still getting 80246002 errors?
2. When (exact date, preferably) did you replace MSE with Avast (Free, I assume)?
3. What anti-virus application was installed before you installed MSE, was your subscription still current, and did you uninstall it before you installed MSE?
4. Has a(nother) Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?
5. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [PICK ONE] come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

1. i periodically get the 80246002 error now  sometimes when i check for updates i get it, other times not  this happened after i replaced MSE with avast free

2.i replaced MSE with avast free yesterday (august 29)

3. oh boy. the antivirus i had before MSE was Rogers Online Protection.  this was given to be by my ISP. I do still have a subscription with it since my ISP is still rogers but i dont use it anymore.  i replaced it with MSE about about a year ago 
4. no, norton and mcafee has NEVER been installed on my computer with windows 7 before. however, my computer is a dual boot with windows 7 and vista and norton was installed on vista a very long time ago before, but not anymore 
5. see number 4.

side note: i thought that was real microsoft support. i guess i wont be going back there ever again. oh and my computer is pretty much back to the original state it was before, thanks for asking.

also, i have a windows 8.1 pc and is not experiencing any of these problems

I have Win7x64 Home Premium with SP1 and all other updates and patches. I have a new custom-built (not by me) system with an Intel Core-i7, 3.5 GHz, 16 GD of RAM, an SSD, and an HD, both of which have tons of room.

I run Windows Update several times a day to keep MSE up to date. I had no problems at all, including after the August "Patch Tuesday" updates were installed.

Yesterday, I installed Word Viewer, Excel Viewer, and PowerPoint Viewer. I use WordPerfect Office rather than MS Office, which didn't come with my new system. While WP will open files from those programmes, I use the Viewers, which I downloaded from Microsoft. After installing them, I ran Windows Update and it said there were approx 15 updates, which I downloaded and installed, then I ran Update again and it said there were approx another 15 updates, which I installed. They were all related to various MS Office products, which the three Viewers apparently require, too.

Early this morning, when I opened Windows Update, there was one optional update for MSE's definitions. This afternoon, I checked again and no updates were listed, so I clicked on "Check for updates" and that's when the fun began...

It says "Windows could not search for new updates" and gives an error code of 80246002.

Clicking on "Get help with this error" returns two items. One is to learn how to install SP1 for Win 7 (which was installed with the OS when this system was built, while the other lists two different error codes, neither of which is 80246002.

So, here I am.

Following a suggestion from someone else here, I downloaded Windows6.1-KB947821-v33-x64.msu and ran it.

It not only didn't resolve the problem, I couldn't get online at all. No programme on my computer that accesses the internet for anything (e.g. browser, e-mail, weather app, AV, etc) could connect, either. The error codes suggested various things, such as the MS one from Windows Update saying that a programme such as AV software was blocking online access.

I rebooted the router and that got me back online.

I still get the same 80246002 error that started all of this, however, so installing Windows6.1-KB947821-v33-x64.msu didn't help.

Where do you go to change the DNS server?